Suction cleaner



y 1950 R. c. OSBORN 2,507,043

SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ILE=E INVENTOR.RALPH C. OSBORN May 9, 1950 R. c. OSBORN SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 8,1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \\\\\\\\\\\\\"lllll'k\\ INVENTOR. RALPH C. OSBORNA 7'TORNc'V I Patented May 9, 1950 s'rrss TENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANERRalph C. Osborn, Eloomington, 11L, assignor to Eureka WilliamsCorporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan This invention relates to vacuum cleaners andhas particular relation to tank type vacuum cleaners having handles andcleaner tools by which a tank may be pulled or moved around the room bythe operator.

In such type cleaners it has been the custom heretofore to providevarious kinds of vents associated principally with the wand or cleaningtools attached to the air hose through which air may be admittedcontinuously to the cleaner for cooling the cleaner motor at all timesand regardless of the fact that the cleaning tool is being used in suchmanner that very little air is otherwise admitted. This method ofcooling the motor has been found objectionable for the reason that suchair vents sometimes cause whistling noises which are objectionable andin any event do not provide the air for cooling the motor in the eventthe air hose, dust separator or the tank outlet should become obstructedto such an extent as to prevent the flow of air through the tank.

It is now proposed to provide the tank with conduit means adapted forthe admission of air directly to the tank for cooling the motor.

In the various embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings it isproposed to admit air directly to the suction side of the tank byrecirculating some of the air in the tank from the discharge to thesuction side thereof, and this admission of air is capable of control bythe operator by any of the various means shown for several differentpurposes.

An object of the invention is to provide for cooling the motor by theadmission of air directly to the suction side of the tank and to providemeans for controlling this admission if desired, either automatically ormanually, to any desired extent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for modulating thesuction of a suction cleaner so as to make it possible to obtain themost efiicient operation of various suction cleaning tools.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent by referenceto the accompanying drawings of which there are two sheets, which, byway of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principlesthereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I havecontemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of theinvention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used andstructural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the present invention and the purview of theappended claims. I also contemplate that of the several differentfeatures of my invention, certain ones thereof may be advantageouslyemployed in some applications separate and apart from the remainder ofthe features.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with a portion thereof in verticalcross section of a tank cleaner embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of a tank cleaner handle embodyinganother form of the invention, as this handle might be seen in the planeof line 22 when employed on the tank illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the handle illustrated byFig. 2, taken substantially in the plane of line 33 in Fig. 2

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary view of a portion of the handle shown by Fig. 3illustrating the valve mechanism thereof ina different operativeposition;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a cleaner handle illustratinganother form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the handle shown by Fig. 5 with thevalve mechanism thereof in a different position;

Fig. 7 is a plan View partly in cross section showing a portion of thehandle illustrated by Figs. 2, 3 and 4, taken substantially in the planeof line 1-1 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the operating knob of the handleillustrated by Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring to Fig. 1 the numeral it indicates a cylindricaltank'supported at one end by a pair of wheels H and at the other end bya slidable support I2. The two ends of the tank are closed by end bellsl3 and Ii, the former being provided with a discharge opening it and thelatter with a flexible air hose ll through which air is admitted to thetank it. The hose ll may be any desired length and may have attachedthereto the usual operating wand to which cleaning tools of variouskinds may be attached. The discharge opening it is constructed in anysuitable manner so that a hosemayalso be attached thereto if desired,and in connection with which various kinds of pressure tools and devicesmay be employed.

The tank it is divided internally thereof into a suction compartment 18and discharge compartment Hi, this being accomplished by providing awall formed by placing a fan 2! adjacent the central portion of the tankand sealing the outside of the fan to the inside of the tank by a rubhersupport and sealing ring 22. The ring 22 also provides for absorbingvibration resulting from the operation of the fan. The fan 21 is locatedinside a casing 23 having an inlet opening 24 adapted to admit air tothe fan from the suction compartment [8 of the casing Ill. The oppositeor discharge end 26 of the casing 23 supports an electric motor 21 forthe fan 2 l, the motor 2'! having a casing or frame 28 secured to thefan casing 23 in such manner that the air discharged from the fan casingis circulated through and/or over the motor for cooling the same. Themotor casing is provided with an outlet opening 29 through which airescapes into discharge compartment.

The suction compartment [.8 of the casing in is provided with a bag ordust separator 3| having the open end thereof attached to the tank andthe end bell M in such manner as to receive internally thereof the airdischarged by the hose ll. The dust separator 3| receives such air,cleans the dirt therefrom and discharges the air so cleaned into thesuction compartment I8 of the tank H].

In order to be able to lift the tank and to carry the same about, thecasing I0 is provided with a handle 32 extending longitudinally alongthe upper portion thereof in such manner that the tank will balanceproperly when carried by the handle. In such position it will beobserved that one end of the handle is adjacent the dischargecompartment in the casing I!) while the other is adjacent the suctioncompartment thereof. In order to provide means for recirculating a smallquantity of air within the tank from the discharge to the suction sidethereof, the handle 32 is provided with a conduit 33 extending from oneend to the other of the handle, and this conduit communicates with thedischarge compartment l9 and the suction compartment l8 through openingsin the casing in indicated at 34 and 36 respectively. It will be notedthat the openings 34 and 33, and particularly opening 33, somewhatrestrict the flow of air through the conduit 33 so that only a smallquantity of air may pass therethrough in any event. This restriction isprovided so that in the event the separator 3| is clean and there is nounusual restriction in the hose H or any of the tools employed with thecleaner, very little air will tend to flow through the conduit 33. Thefact that some air will flow through in all events does not particularlyaffect the normal operation of the cleaner, inasmuch as practically allcleaning tools are provided with openings or vents to by-pass some airthrough the cleaning tool so that the latter may be easily moved. Innormal operation the fan 2! simply receives air and discharges the samethrough and around the motor 21 and from whence it leaves the dischargecompartment l9 through the opening l6.

However, in the event the cleaning tool employed, the hose H, the dustseparator 3| or the discharge opening IE (or any of the pressure toolsemployed with the latter) become restricted so that the normal orpredetermined amount of air does not flow through the cleaner, thennotwithstanding the restriction provided by the openings 34 and 33 andthe conduit 33, some of the air will be recirculated in the tank, andthis will be suflicient in all events to cool the motor 2'! and to keepthe latter from burning out.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8, it will be noted that the handle32 may be provided with a valve 38 for controlling the flow of airthrough the conduit 33. To receive the valve 38 the conduit 33 ismodified adjacent the opening 36 in the tank casing l0 in such manner asto provide a valve seat opening 33, a valve stem opening 4| and a valveoperating mechanism compartment 42. The valve head is indicated at 43and the valve stem at 44. The stem 44 is provided with a transverselydisposed pin 43 against which a washer or collar 13 is adapted to besupported against the compressive force of a spring 43. The opposite endof the spring 49 is supported upon the lower end of the compartment 42.It will be noted that the stem 44 is smaller than the opening 4| so asto permit the flow of air through the opening 41 around the stem whenthe valve head 43 is away from the seat 39.

It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the valve head 43 is shown in twopositions: being shown in one position in dot and dash lines in whichthe head is off its seat and in another position in full lines in whichthe head is seated or closed. It will be apparent from the structuredisclosed that the valve 38 will normally be resiliently closed by thespring 49. However in the event the pressure in the suction compartmentl8 becomes abnormally low or that in the discharge compartment 49becomes abnormally high, as might occur in the events previouslydescribed, the valve 38 will open, thus allowing air to be recirculatedfrom the discharge to the suction compartments of the tank through theconduit 33 and the various passages associated with the valve 38.

Under certain circumstances it is desirable to have the conduit 33remain closed in all events so that no air can be recirculated from thedischarge to the suction compartments of the tank casing 13. Suchcircumstances would occur when the tank might be used as a pressuredevice as when various kinds of spraying, drying or other pressure toolsmight be employed in connection with a hose attached to the dischargeopening l6. To provide for such contingency the upper end of the valvestem 43 is reduced in cross section to provide an annular grooveindicated at 5|, this groove being adapted to be operatively associatedwith the edge of an opening 52 formed in a transversely disposed bar 53.The opening 52 (see Fig. '7) is formed in such manner as to provide twopassages, one large enough to permit the free vertical movement of thevalve stem 44 when the bar is in the retracted position shown in Figs. 3and '7 and the other small enough to limit the movement of the stem whenthe bar is in the forward position indicated by Fig. 4. In the latterposition, as is shown by Fig. 4, the valve head 43 is disposed againstits seat 39 in such manner as to prevent the flow of any air through theconduit 33.

The bar 53 is supported in the aforesaid position in a horizontallydisposed slot in the handle 32 indicated by the numeral 54, the rear endof the slot being provided with an enlarged opening 55, the upper end ofwhich is exposed to the upper part of the handle 32. In the opening 55there is located a button or knob 56 attached to the rear end of the bar53 by which the bar may be moved from its retracted to its forwardposition at the will of the operator.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that in the forward position the bar 53extends outwardly a short distance beyond the end of the handle 32. Thisoutwardly extending end may be marked in such manner as to indicate thatthe valve 38' is in the off or inoperative position. This may be done bypainting or coloring the end of the h d o so the amiable co or, o as shoF 7, di la ng the Word Ot h e ose po tio h re i- Al o as ma be seen fromFig. 7, the bar in its retracted position will be located entirel withinthe opening so that the end thereof may notice seen.

It w be app re t ii om th mod fic t on shown by Figs. 2, 3, 1 7 that thevalve .38 may be operated automatically in response to the difi en n pres r e w n th -cl sehars and the suction compa tme ts or the va ve to bre d r d perative o lose th o duit 33 ent ly b pe atin he button .55 to.m v th bar 5 3 to the outward of 01f position.

In th st uctur d sc osed y F gs. 5, 6 a d 8 h valve so is p ovid d witha di ferent kind of controlling mechanism from that employed inFigs,..2, 3, i and 7. This latter controlling mechanism comprises arotary button or iii adapted to rotate in a vertical cylindricalvopening 52 which is for-med in the handle 32 in such manner that theupper end of .the opening terminates in the upper surface of the handlewhile the .lower end thereof communicates with the operating mechanismcompartment d2. The position of the opening 62 withrespect tocompartment 42 is such that the forward .end of the knob .8! is alwaysdirectly above the upper end of the 'yalve stem In order to hold theknob 66 in the opening 52 in such manner as to permit rotation thereofwithout vertical movement in the opening, the knob is provided with anintegral outwardly. projecting flange 63 adjacent the lower extremitythereof which is rotatabiy positioned in an annular groove formed aroundthe opening 62. The upper end of the knob 51 projects far enough abovethe upper surface of the handle that it can be clasped in the fingersand rotated within the opening 52. The lower end of the knob is providedwith a variable cam surface indicated at 66 against which the upper endof the valve stem as is held by the spring 49. The formation of the camsurface .65 is such that when the knob ii! is in the positionillustrated by Fig.5 the valve 38 rests upon its seat, although it ispossible for the valve to be opened against the pressure of the springt5 by a sufficient diiference in pressure between the suctioncompartment #8 and the discharge compartment It. When the knob is in theposition illustrated by Fig. 6 it is apparent that the valve 38 will beheld in an open position at all times, although it is still possible forthe valve to be opened to a greater extent in response to any unusuallylarge difference in pressure between the suction compartment [8 and thedischarge compartment l9.

It will be apparent that between the position in which knob 64 is shownin Fig. 5 and its position in Fig. 6 it will be possible to vary to anydesired extent the position of the valve between these two extremes.

The possibility of making these various adjustments in the position ofthe valve 3% permits the operator to control manually or automatically,or both, the conditions under which air will flow through the conduit 33into the suction compartment i8 and consequently makes it possible toprovide Sufficient cooling for the motor 2'! under any of the variousdiiferential pressure conditions to which the compartments i8 and I9 maybe subjected when the various suction and pressure tools with which"tank cleaners may be provided are employed.

Also by varying the extent to which the valve 38 may e automaticallyopened inirespqnse to the differential pressure between thecsuction anddi rg compartments of the \Cleaner,;itfis possible to vary the amount ofsuction or pressure affecting the operation of any of the suction 10!Pre sure tools which may be employed with the cleaner.

While Ihave illustrated and described preferred embodiments :of myinvention, itis understood that these are capable ,of modification, andI therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth,but desire to avail (myself f such ha es and alterations as fall withinthe purview of the following claims.

1. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, a sealingmeans dividing said easing intosuction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment having anair inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being ar ranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartment and to provide a pressuredifferential between said compartments, said motor being arranged insaid lasing to be Cooled by said air pumped by said fan, a handle formoving said casing, said handle being provided with a conduit thereincommunicating with said suction compartment in said casing between saiddust separator and said fan for supplying a limited amount of air tosaid suction compartment in addition to that-supplied to said suctioncom,- partment through 'the'air inlet thereof.

.2. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, sealing means dividing said easing intosuction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment having anair inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartments and to provide a-pressuredifierential between said compartments, said motor being arranged insaid casing to be cooled by said air pumped by said fan, a handle formove ing said casing, said handle being provided with a conduit thereinconnecting said suction and discharge compartments in said casing forsupplying limited amounts of air to said suction compartment betweensaid dust separator and said fan.

3. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, sealing means dividing said casing intosuction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment having anair inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartments, said motor being arranged insaid casing to be cooled by said air pumped by said fan, said dustseparator and air inlet being operatively associated with an air hosefor the operation of various forms of cleaning tools employed by saidcleaner, a handle for moving said casing, said handle being providedwith a conduit therein communicating with said suction compartment onthe downstream side of said dust separator in said casing for supplyingair to said suction compartment for cooling said motor when the flow ofair through said casing is reduced below the amount required for coolingsaid motor, and normally closed valve means associated with said conduitfor controlling the flow of air there through, said valve means beingconstructed and arranged so as to be opened in response to apredetermined amount of suction within said suction compartment on thedownstream side of said dust separator.

4. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, sealing means dividing said casing intosuction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment having anair inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartments, said motor being arranged insaid casing to be cooled by said air pumped by said fan, said casingbeing provided with air inlet means communicating with said suctioncompartment in said casing on the downstream side of said dust separatorfor supplying air to said suction compartment for cooling said motorwhen the pressure in said suction compartment is reduced to anabnormally low value and normally closed valve means associated withsaid air inlet means for controlling the flow of air therethrough, saidvalve means being constructed and arranged so as to be opened inresponse to a predetermined amount of suction within said suctioncompartment on the downstream side of said dust separator.

5. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, said casing having suction and dischargecompartments, said suction compartment having an air inlet thereto andsaid dust separator being arranged between said air inlet and said fan,said fan being arranged to pump air from said suction to said dischargecompartments, said motor being arran ed in said casing to be cooled bysaid air, said casing being provided with air inlet means communicatingwith said suction compartment in said casing on the downstream side ofsaid dust separator for supplying air to said suction compartment forcooling said motor when the flow of air through said separator isreduced below the amount required for cooling said. motor and normallyclosed valve means associated with said air inlet means for controllingthe flow of air therethrough, said air inlet means being constructed andarranged so that the maximum volume of'air flow therethrough isrelatively small as compared with that of said air inlet, said valvemeans being constructed and arranged so as to be opened in response to apredetermined amount of suction within said suction compartment on thedownstream side of said dust separator.

6. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparatorarranged therein, said casing being divided into suction anddischarge compartments, said suction compartment having an air inletthereto and said dust separator being arranged between said air inletand said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from said suction tosaid discharge compartments, said motor being arranged in said casing tobe cooled by said. air, said casing being provided with an air inletmeans communicating with said suction compartment in said casing forsupplying air to said suction compartment for cooling said motor whenthe flow of air through said separator is reduced below the amountrequired for cooling said motor, and a pressure actuated valveassociated with said casing for controlling the flow of air through saidair inlet means, said valve means being constructed and 8 arranged so asto be opened in response to a predetermined amount of suction withinsaid suction compartment on the downstream side of said dust separator.

7. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan and a dustseparator arranged therein, said casing being divided into suction anddischarge compartments, said suction compartment having an air inletthereto and said dust separator being arranged between said air inletand said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from said suction tosaid discharge compartments, said motor being arranged in said casing tobe cooled by said air, said casing being provided with air inlet meanscommunicating with said suction compartment in said casing for supplyingair to said suction compartment for cooling said motor when the flow ofair through said separator is reduced below the amount required forcooling said motor, and a manually operated valve associated with saidcasing for controlling the flow of air through said air inlet means,said valve means being constructed and arranged so as to be opened inresponse to a predetermined amount of suction within said suctioncompartment on the downstream side of said dust separator.

8. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having having a handle, a motor, afan and a dust separator arranged therein, said casing being dividedinto suction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment havingan air inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartments, said motor being arranged insaid casing to be cooled by said air, said casing being provided withair inlet means communicating with said suction compartment in saidcasing for supplying air to said suction compartment for cooling saidmotor when the flow of air through said separator is reduced below theamount required for cooling said motor, a valve associated with saidhandle for controlling the flow of air through said air inlet means, andmanually operated slide means for controlling said valve.

9. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a handle, a motor, a fanand a dust separator arranged therein, said casing being divided intosuction and discharge compartments, said suction compartment having anair inlet thereto and said dust separator being arranged between saidair inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged to pump air from saidsuction to said discharge compartments, said motor being arranged insaid casing to be cooled by said air, said casing being provided withair inlet means communieating with said suction compartment in saidcasing for supplying air to said suction compartment for cooling saidmotor when the flow of air through said separator is reduced below theamount required for cooling said motor, a valve associated with saidhandle for controlling the flow of air through said air inlet means, androtary means for controlling said valve.

10. A tank cleaner comprising a casing having a motor, a fan, a suctioncompartment and a dust separator arranged therein, said suctioncompartment having an air inlet thereto and said dust separator beingarranged between said air inlet and said fan, said fan being arranged topump air out of said suction compartment, said motor being arranged tobe cooled by said air, said casing being provided with air inlet

